Brian & Wendy Froud appear at the AFA to open an exhibition of artwork from their new book Faeries’ Tales on Thursday September 18th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM!

Press Release:

On exhibition, a collection of 30 paintings by Brian and 16 sculptures by Wendy created for and published by Abrams in their newest book, Brian Froud’s Faeries’ Tales. The exhibition will be on view at AFA of SoHo from September 12th through October 12th, 2014.

Brian Froud’s Faeries’ Tales explores the complex relationship and the liminal state between the human and faery world where interaction occurs. Readers encounter individual faeries, each with a story to uncover, as told by the faeries themselves. Many of the stories are familiar to humans, but the true story is told by the faeries.

Humans have always had special relationships and bonds with faeries, whether loving and helpful or at times destructive. This new book explores the complex relationship and the liminal state between the human and faery world where interaction occurs. In Faeries Tales, readers encounter individual faeries, each with a story to uncover, as told by the faeries themselves. Many of the stories are familiar to humans, but the ‘true’ story is told by the faeries.

Brian Froud has created some of the most respected and highly acknowledged mythic artwork of our time. He has won numerous awards, including the Hugo Award for Best Original Artwork. Wendy Froud is a doll artist, sculptor and puppet-maker, best known for her work creating creatures for the Jim Henson films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, as well as her work on the Star Wars series, for which she was the fabricator of Yoda.

Award-winning publisher Archaia Entertainment (Booth #1520) is excited to announce its plans for New York Comic Con, taking place October 11-14, 2012 at the Javits Center in New York City!

• Archaia will present three panels at New York Comic Con:

How to Prepare an Effective Submission
Friday, 10/12 5:15-6:15pm, Room 1A06
Want to pitch your idea as a graphic novel? Archaia editors and a pair of Archaia creators—Feeding Ground’s Swifty Lang and Pantalones, TX’s Yehudi Mercado—show what should go into an effective submission.

Transmedia in Graphic Novel Publishing
Saturday, 10/13 6:30-7:30pm, Room 1A06
In this information-filled panel, fans will be treated to exclusive announcements, images, and videos on three properties poised for a transmedia explosion—Cyborg 009, Hawken: Genesis, and Space: 1999: Aftershock and Awe—with Archaia’s upcoming graphic novels providing a cornerstone in each campaign.

How to Tell a Better Story Through World-Building
Sunday, 10/14 1:15-2:15pm, Room 1A08
Listen is as Archaia master storytellers David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Jeremy Bastian (Cursed Pirate Girl), and Sean Rubin (Redwall, the upcoming Bolivar) share how to create a better story through world-building, from characters and costumes, to settings and environment, to culture and history.

• Former Jim Henson collaborator and fantasy superstar Brian Froud (The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth) and his wife, Wendy Froud, will be on hand to autograph copies of the hardcover graphic novel, Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths Vol. 1. Check the signing schedule for times.

• Limited to 100 pieces each, exclusive tip-ins for upcoming Archaia graphic novel hardcovers Cursed Pirate Girl by Jeremy Bastian and Iron: Or, the War After by Shane-Michael Vidaurri. Bastian and Vidaurri will be on hand to autograph the tip-ins. Check the signing schedule for times.

• Over 100 autograph sessions are scheduled at the Archaia booth throughout the weekend, featuring over 40 creators. Check the Archaia booth, the Archaia website (www.archaia.com), or your favorite comics news website for the full schedule.

• Free, convention-exclusive autograph cards for upcoming Archaia titles will be available while supplies last, with their creators on hand to sign them. These titles include: Bolivar; Cyborg 009; The Joyners in 3D; Mumbai Confidential; Pantalones, TX; The Reason for Dragons; Space: 1999: Aftershock and Awe; Spera Vol. 2; and Strange Attractors.

• Archaia partner Meteor Entertainment will set up four gaming stations at the Archaia booth to demo their upcoming, free-to-play, online mech game, Hawken. The open beta launches 12/12/12, followed in March 2013 by an Archaia prequel graphic novel tied into the game. Hawken creator and designer Khang Le will be on hand to sign exclusive autograph cards. Check signing schedule for times.

• Three new hardcovers will debut at the Archaia booth: Last Days of an Immortal by Fabien Vehlmann and Gwen de Bonneval (translated from the French edition), The Grand Duke by Yann and Romain Hugault (translated from the French edition), and Mouse Guard Winter 1152 Black and White by David Petersen.

• Archaia will give away copies of its highly sought-after Free Comic Book Day hardcover from earlier this year to kids for the length of the show, while supplies last.

• Mouse Guard Roleplaying Game Box Set designer Luke Crane will be on hand on Friday and Sunday to demo the game for curious players. Check the signing schedule for times.

• Creator Charles Soule will have limited copies available of a 26-page preview of his upcoming Archaia hardcover graphic novel, Strange Attractors.

• Each day of the con, Archaia CCO Mark Smylie will conduct a limited number of portfolio reviews at the booth. Slots are limited, so sign up at the booth for that day’s session while space lasts.

Archaia is located on the New York Comic Con show floor at Booth #1520. For more information about New York Comic Con, visit www.newyorkcomiccon.com.About Archaia Entertainment, LLC

Archaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Mouse Guard, Return of the Dapper Men, Bolivar, Rust, Gunnerkrigg Court, Old City Blues, Awakening, The Killer, Tumor, Syndrome, Artesia, and an entire line of The Jim Henson Company graphic novels. Archaia has built an unparalleled reputation for producing meaningful content that perpetually transforms minds, building one of the industry’s most visually stunning and eclectic slates of graphic novels. Archaia was named Graphic Novel Publisher of the Year by Ain’t it Cool News, Comic Related, and Graphic Policy, which honored the publisher two years in a row. Archaia was honored with nine 2011 Eisner Awards nominations and two Awards for Best Graphic Album and Best Anthology. So far in 2012, Archaia has been further honored with six Harvey Award nominations, two Harvey Awards, six Eisner nominations and three Eisner Awards, and both Gold and Silver awards from ForeWord Reviews. In addition to publications, Archaia has successfully emerged as a prolific storyteller in all facets of the entertainment industry, extending their popular brands into film, television, gaming, and branded digital media. For more information, visit the Archaia website at www.archaia.com.

Trolls opens a new realm in the celebrated faerie worlds of famed artists Brian and Wendy Froud, renowned for their vast and personal knowledge of faeries, goblins, and other folk. Featuring new and classic works by both Brian and his wife, Wendy, woven together along with artifacts and symbols of the natural world, the book creates a fascinating revelation about the world of trolls.

Not since Brian Froud’s conceptual design work with Jim Henson on the classic films The Dark Crystal and Labryinth has he created a faerie world with such imagination, dimension, depth, and detail. The texture of the world in Trolls and the deeply immersive, cinematic images will appeal to the legions of fantasy– and Froud – fans.

Join Brian and Wendy Froud at the Society as they discuss their collaboration on the new book. Book signing and reception to follow.

Brian Froud is the most acclaimed faerie artist of our time. He is the international bestselling coauthor and coartist, with Alan Lee, of Faeries and the author of many other books, including The Heart of Faerie Oracle, Lady Cottington’s Pressed Faerie Book, Good Faeries/Bad Faeries, and The Faeries’ Oracle. He has won numerous awards, including the Hugo Award for Best Original Artwork. He is the conceptual designer of Jim Henson’s classic films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.

Wendy Froud is a storyteller, doll artist, sculptor, and puppet maker. She worked as a sculptor and puppet builder for Jim Henson for many years. Among her accomplishments, she sculpted Jen and Kira for The Dark Crystal and fabricated Yoda for The Empire Strikes Back. Her dolls and figures are highly sought after and are in many prestigious collections around the world. The Frouds live in Devon, England.

Brian and Wendy Froud sign at AFA on Saturday October 6th from 6:00-8:00PM.

Press Release:

A collection of original paintings and sculpture, featured in the new book, Trolls, published by Abrams Books and written and illustrated by internationally-acclaimed film & faerie artists Brian and Wendy Froud, will be unveiled at a reception at AFA on October 6th from 6-8PM. The exhibition will be on display through December 2012. The book was released internationally this month in English and French.

The gallery will also host a book signing for Trolls with Brian & Wendy Froud on October 11th. A collection of three books published by Imaginosis, and available exclusively at AFA together with Trolls will be available for purchase at the gallery. Fans can meet and greet the artists and books purchased at the gallery will be autographed.

Brian, Wendy & Toby Froud to speak with Heidi Leigh at Society of Illustrators on Friday, December 2nd, 2011 from 6:30-9:30PM.

Press Release:

The Society of Illustrators, in conjunction with the Animazing Gallery exhibit World of Froud: Visions for Film & Faerie, is hosting an evening of Q & A with the Froud family, the pre-eminent Faerie artists of our time.

Brian Froud is the premier fairy painter and illustrator, with over 30 books in publication and over 8 million books sold to date including Good Faeries/Bad Faeries (Hugo and Chesley Award), Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book (Hugo Award), Faeries’ Oracle and Lady Cottington’s Fairy Album. He is widely known for his conceptual design work on feature films including Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (1987) and The Dark Crystal (1982), where he met his wife, Wendy Froud. Wendy has also worked as a sculptor and puppet maker for The Muppet Show, Muppet Movie and The Empire Strikes Back (as fabricator of Yoda). Their son Toby Froud started his career as baby “Toby” in Labyrinth. To date, Toby works as a stilt-walker and dancing bear with a troupe that performs throughout England in a costume designed by his mother. He is currently working on a film project featuring his own puppets.

The discussion will be moderated by Heidi Leigh, owner of Animazing Gallery, and will be followed by a book signing and cocktail reception. Please note, only books purchased at the Society of Illustrators will be signed.

In another time, a source of Balance and Truth in the Universe was shattered, dividing the world into the wicked Skeksis and the peaceful Mystics. It’s up to Jen—the last of his race—to fulfill the prophecy that a Gelfling will return the missing shard to the Crystal and destroy the Skeksis’ evil empire. Designed by fantasy artist Brian Froud, Jim Henson’s groundbreaking masterpiece redefined live-action puppet film.

This December, Animazing Gallery presents the first U.S. exhibition of Brian Froud’s paintings and drawings, including original artworks from his published, international best-selling books and all of his concept drawings from Jim Henson’s film Labyrinth. The exhibition will be open to the public daily. Animazing Gallery is located at 54 Greene Street (at Broome) in SoHo. For more information: 212-226-7374 or visit www.animazing.com

Brian Froud is regarded as the pre-eminent fairy artist of today and has redefined the image of Faeries in the 21st century. Froud is part of a long lineage of faerie painters and illustrators including Arthur Rackham, Richard Dadd, Walter Crane and Edmund Dulac and his work has hung alongside these exceptional artists – the greats of the genre – in museum exhibitions throughout the U.K. Froud’s imagery; sensual, humorous and at times frightening, has rescued fairies from the Victorian nursery, to which they were relegated for so many years, and returned them to the dark, elusive and mysterious world of Faerie where they belong.

In November, 1998, Sotheby’s “Realm of the Mind: Fantasy Art and Illustration” featured the work of such artists as; Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Bell Scott, Richard Doyle, John Anster Fitzgerald, Walter Crane, Simeon Solomon and George Cruikshank. Brian Froud’s painting from Good Faeries/Bad Faeries was chosen for the auction catalogue cover.

With over 30 books in publication and over 8 million books sold to date, Brian Froud’s best sellers include Good Faeries/Bad Faeries (Hugo and Chesley Awards), Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book (Hugo Award), the Faeries’ Oracle and Lady Cottington’s Fairy Album. His international best-selling book, Faeries with fantasy and Tolkien illustrator Alan Lee, published in 1978 and reissued in 2002 and again in 2010, is considered a modern classic and has sold more than 3 million copies.

Brian Froud has influenced a whole new generation of magical painters, book illustrators and filmmakers. Froud’s landmark work with Jim Henson as conceptual designer on feature films The Dark Crystal (1982) and Labyrinth (1987), set new standards for design, puppeteering and animatronics in film and are, today, considered landmarks in the evolution of modern day special effects. Both films have achieved an international cult following.

The Animazing Gallery, NY exhibition entitled, BRIAN FROUD: VISIONS FOR FILM & FAERIE, will be comprised of original paintings of creatures from Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal, concept drawings from Jim Henson’s Labyrinth and original material from the published Faerie books: How to See Faeries, Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book and Good Faeries/Bad Faeries.

BRIAN FROUD: VISIONS FOR FILM & FAERIE will be in collaboration with a site-specific installation by Wendy Froud and their son, Toby Froud; both renowned doll and puppet-makers. Toby was the baby “Toby” in Labyrinth and is presently a puppet fabricator and sculptor at Laika Entertainment, the celebrated studio specializing in stop motion/animation film and television.

Wendy is the fabricator of “Yoda” from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. She sculpted and fabricated “Kira” & “Jen” from The Dark Crystal as well as some of the Pod People, and sculpted and fabricated some of the goblins in Labyrinth. For this inaugural exhibition, Wendy Froud has recreated the Gelfling, Kira from The Dark Crystal. Kira stands 33” tall, and was sculpted using original hair and beading from original The Dark Crystal production.